Should you drink water every day? Well, if you look at any wellness websites or talk to any nutritionists about what you should be doing for your health, almost everyone will agree that you should consume plenty of water. It’s such a common piece of advice that it’s almost become overused, but that doesn’t make it any less true. The adult human body is made up of up to 60 percent water, according to the United States Geological Survey, so it makes sense that you would need to drink a lot of it throughout the day.
In addition to your body’s need for water, drinking water every day also comes with a lot of benefits. From staying hydrated to regulating your body’s temperature and helping your body flush out toxins from within, drinking water every day is a huge part of staying healthy. In fact, dehydration is a seriously dangerous state for your body to be in, so all adults need to drink a good amount of water each day. But still, you might not realize that there’s a lot that happens to your body when you do drink water every day, and it goes way deeper than hydration.
Your oral health may improve if you drink water every day
One of the more obvious perks of choosing to drink water every day is that you’ll have more saliva in your mouth. But it might not be obvious why, exactly, that’s a good thing. The thing is, when your mouth produces more saliva, your mouth is actually a lot healthier. It might sound gross, but it’s true. According to Healthline, “Saliva also includes small amounts of electrolytes, mucus, and enzymes.” Because of that, it is “essential for breaking down solid food and keeping your mouth healthy,” per the site.
Additionally, saliva can help protect your mouth from cavities. “Calcium, phosphorous, fluoride and other minerals contained in saliva repair the enamel surfaces of teeth, keeping them healthy, strong and resistant to cavities,” according to Delta Dental. Basically, when you drink water every day, your oral health improves, and that’s definitely good. Of course, drinking water every day doesn’t replace proper mouth care like brushing your teeth, but it helps.
If you drink water every day, you can help prevent constipation
Since drinking enough water aids your body in flushing out toxins, it makes sense that staying hydrated would also help you avoid constipation. Of course, it’s important to do other things so you don’t get backed up, but deciding to drink water every day can definitely help.
US News & World Report noted, “Since constipation is related to dehydration in the colon, you need to make sure you are drinking lots of water. When your body is properly hydrated, less water will be withdrawn from the colon. This will keep your stool soft and easy to pass.” Drinking plenty of water will help regulate your bowel movements, which is an important marker for health. No one enjoys constipation, and drinking water is a simple solution to the issue. Additionally, according to Healthline, you can also drink carbonated water to relieve constipation if plain water is too boring for you or if you want to change things up a bit. But maybe don’t reach for alcoholic seltzer — unfortunately we can’t promise White Claw Hard Seltzer will make it easier to go.
You'll digest food more easily when you drink water every day
If your parents always told you to drink a glass of water with your meal when you were growing up, then they were definitely on to something. Not only will making the decision to drink water every day keep you hydrated, but it will help you digest the food you eat more easily and that will allow your body to help you perform at your best. The more water you drink on a daily basis, the more your digestive system will thank you. Yep, water is one of the things healthy people drink every day!
Specifically, as Dr. Michael F. Picco, who is a gastroenterology consultant, told WebMD, “There’s no concern that water will dilute the digestive juices or interfere with digestion. In fact, drinking water during or after a meal actually aids digestion.” Additionally, a study from the Department of Human Nutrition at Wageningen University found that “water is able to drain from the stomach while a layer of nutrient rich liquid is retained.”
If you have digestion issues, drinking water every day is a great way to combat them, while also reaping a ton of other benefits.
Your body will absorb nutrients better if you drink water every day
Making the choice to drink water every day can certainly help aid in digestion and decrease your risk for constipation, but that doesn’t mean that it’s just forcing everything out of your body on its way down through your system. On the contrary, drinking water actually helps your body absorb nutrients even better than it would on its own.
Healthline noted, “In addition to helping with food breakdown, water also helps dissolve vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients from your food. It then delivers these vitamin components to the rest of your body for use.” Additionally, as Dr. Michael F. Picco told WebMD, “Water is essential for good health. Water and other liquids help break down food so that your body can absorb the nutrients.” If you eat a big bowl of salad, grains, and fruit, you want your body to reap the rewards of all that nutritious food, and drinking plenty of water every day will definitely help you do so.
If you drink water every day, you may decrease your risk of chronic illness
Water might seem like quite a simple drink, and the idea that you should be choosing to drink water every day might seem like a no-brainer. Still, the positive impact it can have on your health can not be overstated. Not only does drinking water every day help with the more typical bodily functions, such as digestion and saliva production, but it can also decrease your risk of chronic illness, and that’s no small thing.
A study from Germany’s Research Institute of Child Nutrition found that drinking enough water on a daily basis led to decreased risks for quite a few chronic conditions. “Positive effects of maintenance of good hydration are shown for urolithiasis,” the study noted. Drinking water also helps relieve “constipation, exercise asthma, hypertonic dehydration in the infant, and hyperglycemia in diabetic ketoacidosis,” as well as “urinary tract infections, hypertension, fatal coronary heart disease, venous thromboembolism, and cerebral infarct.” For so many reasons, water is great for your health, as it can literally help prevent disease.
Curious as to if you’re consuming a good amount? Learn what really happens when you’re dehydrated and the signs you’re not drinking enough water.
You'll feel less pain in your joints when you drink water every day
Drinking water every day, and drinking enough of it, can seem daunting to a lot of people who aren’t used to staying hydrated. In fact, according to a study from the Nutrition Information Center at New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center, as reported by hydration business DripDrop ORS, 75 percent of Americans are chronically dehydrated, which is a huge number. So many people don’t understand the value of choosing to drink water every day, but it’s pretty clear. In addition to all of the other benefits of staying hydrated, drinking enough water every day can also help you feel less pain in your joints.
According to WebMD, “Water makes up a large part of your joint cartilage that helps absorb shock and make bone-against-bone movements smoother.” On top of that, water is known to “help keep gout (a painful joint condition) at bay” and help “flush toxins from your body that could inflame your joints, too.” The benefits of drinking water every day truly are astounding.
If you drink water every day, you'll have more energy
Most people turn to caffeine to find the energy to get them through the day. And while a cup of coffee or tea can definitely provide plenty of caffeine, those aren’t the only beverages that give you energy. In fact, drinking enough water can totally give you enough energy, and, if you want to stay away from caffeine, water might be the answer.
A study from The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism found that when adults drink water, their energy expenditure increased quite drastically. “Within 10 min after drinking water, energy expenditure started to increase,” reported the study. “Sixty minutes after drinking water, energy expenditure increased 30% in men and 30% in women.” This is likely because “drinking water may activate your metabolism,” as noted by Healthline. “A boost in metabolism has been associated with a positive impact on energy level,” Healthline also reported.
There’s definitely nothing wrong with a boost in energy, and choosing to drink water every day can make that happen.
When you drink water every day, your brain will function a lot better
If you’ve ever been thirsty and then immediately felt better after drinking some water, there’s a reason why. Not only is water refreshing and comes with the ability to make you feel healthy, but it can also help your brain function at a higher level.
Specifically, according to a study from the School of Psychology at the University of Barcelona, dehydration has a severe impact on cognitive function. “No matter how mild, dehydration is not a desirable condition because there is an imbalance in the homeostatic function of the internal environment,” reported the study. “This can adversely affect cognitive performance, not only in groups more vulnerable to dehydration, such as children and the elderly, but also in young adults.” Additionally, the study concluded that “being dehydrated by just 2% impairs performance in tasks that require attention, psychomotor, and immediate memory skills, as well as assessment of the subjective state.”
When you drink water every day, you’ll be more focused, you’ll able to remember more, and your brain will just function better overall.
Your skin might look brighter if you drink water every day
It’s no secret that celebrities love to talk about the merits of drinking water (via The Cut). And while choosing to drink water every day won’t cure all your ailments, it can definitely help with some, especially if you have a history of not drinking enough water or of being dehydrated. One of those perks is that your skin might start to look brighter, but it’s not a guarantee.
Dermatologist Mona Gohara, M.D., an associate clinical professor at Yale University, told Marie Claire, “There is no evidence that proves drinking tons of water is the secret cure for all of your skin issues.” But there are still some benefits to staying hydrated. In fact, one Marie Claire editor reported that her skin was a lot brighter after drinking a gallon of water a day. “I was surprised to see that my skin looked fuller and fresher during the week I was chugging water,” she explained. “Not even makeup can cover up dry skin, and I noticed that my entire face felt more hydrated than it does on days where I don’t drink enough water.”
Drinking water can seemingly plump up your skin, and that’s a great perk.
Your kidney function may improve if you drink water every day
When you drink water every day, you’re doing your body a lot of good, that’s for sure. But on top of all the other perks that come with staying hydrated, you can also help one of your most important internal organs function at its best. Believe it or not, but your kidney function may improve if you drink water every day.
In fact, according to the National Kidney Foundation, “Water helps the kidneys remove wastes from your blood in the form of urine.” Additionally, the foundation’s website noted, “Water also helps keep your blood vessels open so that blood can travel freely to your kidneys, and deliver essential nutrients to them.” On top of that, WebMD reported that “dehydration can also lead to kidney stones and urinary tract infections.” Avoiding dehydration can really help your body perform optimally, and, on top of all your other organs and bodily functions, your kidneys may seriously thank you the most.
You could drop a few pounds if you drink water every day
If you’ve ever tried to lose weight or drop down a few pants sizes, then you’re likely familiar with the advice that you should drink a lot of water. It can feel like everyone around you is telling you to just drink more water and you’ll magically drop a ton of weight. While that isn’t exactly true and water isn’t a cure-all for your weight-loss goals, there are some weight-related benefits to staying hydrated.
In fact, according to research from the Berlin School of Public Health, “studies of individuals dieting for weight loss or maintenance suggest a weight-reducing effect of increased water consumption.” Additionally, the Department of Human Nutrition, Foods and Exercise at Virginia Tech conducted a study in which adults who were dieting drank more water than usual and found that they lost more weight. “Thus, when combined with a hypocaloric diet, consuming 500 ml water prior to each main meal leads to greater weight loss than a hypocaloric diet alone,” the study concluded.
Losing weight isn’t always easy, but choosing to drink water every day can certainly help.
When you drink water every day, you're doing good for your heart
When you drink water every day, your body is getting the hydration it needs — and in more ways than one. Not only are your kidneys going to perform better and your skin will glow, but your heart will also be able to do what it needs to do in a much more efficient manner.
According to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center’s website, “proper hydration is not only good for your brain, your mood, and your body weight, but it’s also essential for your heart.” And there is one big reason why drinking water is good for your heart, according to the school. “Your heart is constantly working, pumping about 2,000 gallons of blood a day,” the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center reported. “By staying hydrated — i.e. drinking more water than you are losing — you are helping your heart do its job. A hydrated heart is able to pump blood more easily, allowing the muscles in your body to work even better.”
Your heart is undoubtedly one of your body’s most crucial organs, and drinking water every day really helps it.
Your circulation will improve when you drink water every day
There are so many risk factors that come with dehydration, and poor circulation is just one of them. There’s a reason why water is considered essential to life, and it’s because your body literally can’t function without it. That said, if you drink water every day, the circulation in your blood may drastically improve.
A post from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center reads, “Dehydration causes strain on your heart.” And with that strain, comes poor circulation. “The amount of blood circulating through your body, or blood volume, decreases when you are dehydrated,” the post continued. “To compensate, your heart beats faster, increasing your heart rate and causing you to feel palpitations. Also your blood retains more sodium, making it tougher for it to circulate through your body.” And, as InABottle.com reported, “Water plays an important role in facilitating circulation and increasing blood flow throughout our body.”
The more water you drink on a daily basis, the better your blood flow will be, and that’s obviously not a bad thing.
If you drink water every day, just don't overdo it
While there are a ton of benefits that come with choosing to drink water every day, that doesn’t mean you should be downing gallons of water on a daily basis. While it may sound odd, there actually is such a thing as drinking too much water, and it can be dangerous.
The Mayo Clinic noted, “Although uncommon, it’s possible to drink too much water.” Yes, you read that correctly. “When your kidneys can’t excrete the excess water, the sodium content of your blood is diluted (hyponatremia) — which can be life-threatening,” the site added. However, Mayo Clinic also reported that “drinking too much water is rare in healthy adults who eat an average American diet.” So, it’s unlikely you’ll drink a dangerous amount of water, but it can happen.
Overall, water is extremely good for you and your body, and, though it might not be a cure-all, if you drink enough every day, you’ll reap the rewards of great health.
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